KINGS IN EARTHQUAKES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 26, 1 April 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

KINGS IN EARTHQUAKES.

THIRTY HOURS' HARD WORK IN A RESCIE PARTY.

iho visit of the King of Italy to the towns and villages ruined by the recent terrible earthquake is not his first experience of the horrors incidental to such calamities. Immediately after the even more dreadful catastrophe which overthrew the city of Messina a few years ago His Majesty visited the still smoking rums and personally assisted in the work of rescue.

When again this self-same province of Calabria was' similarly stricken in the autumn of 1905 King Victor and Queen Elena were at their castle of Racconiggi. A grand ball was in progress when the terrible news arrived. His Majesty threw a cloak over his splendid uniform and hurried at once to the scene of the disaster, where he worked hard for over thirty consecutive hours in rescuing the survivors; while his Royal Consort, who followed him as soon as she had changed her attire, was busily engaged during a like period in bandaging broken limbs, and otherwise rendering first aid to the wounded. THE CZAR IN HIS PYJAMAS. Perhaps a yet more striking instance of kingly devotion to duty in similar circumstances was. l afforded in April, 1895, by the even at that time aged Emperor of Austria, who laboured for three days and nights amongst the ruins of Trieste. During that period no fewer than eleven additional shocks took place, and many more victims were added to the already long deathroll; but King Francis Joseph, so far from betraying the slightest uneasiness, continued working the harder at his self-imposed task of succouring those in whom life yet remained. Similarly, the late Emperor of Japan is said to have appeared quite unconcerned for his personal safety during the terrible earthquake of 1896, when many large cities were totally destroyed and 20,000 persons were swept away and drowned by a seismic wave; while the Sultan aelim 111., when his palace toppled in ruins about his ears and half Constantinople was shaken down, merely remarked that it was the will of Allah, and that it was lucky things were no worse.

The only experience of earthquakes had by the present Czar of Russia was in Japan, when he was making his famous tour round the world prior to his succession to the throne. The shock was not a particularly severe one, but, occuring as it did at dead of night, it sent the future Autocrat of All the JXussias hurrying from his bedroom in his' pyjamas and out of the hotel. He was found some hours afterwards by his alarmed attendants, who discovered him in the garden of a distant teahouse. COOL KING EDWARD. very different, however, was the conduct of our late King Edward in similar circumstances. The incident happened during the somewhat severe earthquake that did so much damage along the French and Italian Riviera about twenty yeirs ago. Like the Japanese one alluded to above it came suddenly during the night. The hotel in which His Majesty, then Prince of Wales, was staying, was not materially damaged, but the shock arous?d most of the guests, and considerable alarm and confusion prevailed. An equerry hurried to the Prince's oedroom, and knocked upon the door, none too gently.

"Halloa! Wliat'i up? answered a drowsy voice, in which there was more than a suspicion of irritability. "Please, sir, there's an earthquake come.*' "Well, why don't you sent it away?" was the Royal reply. "Won't you come outside, sir?" ''Outside? No. certainly nor. I'm quite comfortable where 1 am. Go away." And with that H.R.H. turned over and went to sleep again. Nor did he put in an appearance until he turned up in the ordinary way at the breakfast table next morning, bright and debonair as mini, his aspect in this respect presenting a striking contrast to that ot the other guests, including tlie equerry, all of whom had spent the hours oi darkness shivering on the hotel lawn in momentary and dreadful expectation ot another shock.